Take That, Nebraska

Nebraska got spanked by the University of South Carolina at the end of the 2012 football season – yet its head coach Bo Pelini insisted his 9-4 team was better than Steve Spurrier’s 11-2 Gamecocks.

“I’ll say it straight out – our football team, even after the game, we felt we were a better football team than (South Carolina),” Pelini said.

Really? The Cornhuskers lost the game 30-13, and were out-gained 351-253 yards.

A year later Nebraska got spanked again in the Capital One Bowl – this time by Georgia – yet kept talking trash after the game.

“I think the Big Ten, talent-wise, is a lot better, and the defenses are better than SEC defenses,” Cornhuskers’ quarterback Taylor Martinez said after his team was outscored 45-31. “This was supposed to be one of the top defenses in the SEC, and we pretty much did anything we wanted against them.”

Well … assuming you don’t count Nebraska’s final five possessions (fumble, punt, punt, interception, turnover on downs).

Anyway, Pelini and Martinez may finally be drinking a long-overdue glass of S.T.F.U. after coughing up a 21-3 lead to UCLA last weekend in Lincoln. The Bruins reeled off 38 unanswered points on offense – and held Martinez and Co. to just 130 yards in the second half – en route to a stunning 41-21 victory.

With the loss, Nebraska was bounced from the Top 25 – an honor they frankly never should have been afforded in the first place.

Oh well … we’re sure Nebraska’s coaches and players will waste little time explaining how they were better than UCLA, too.

Pic: Travis Bell Photography